David Ralph – Senior Bid Writer at BWL Group

Find us on Linkedin

Meet David Ralph, a Senior Bid Writer at BWL Group since 2022. David enjoys running, pub quizzes, and applying his journalism skills to the bid writing process.

By David Ralph, Senior Bid Writer

How long have you worked at BWL Group?

Since October 2022, so coming up to nearly two years already.

Can you describe your role within the Professional Bid Services team at BWL Group?

I’m a Senior Bid Writer, responsible for producing high-quality bid responses for our clients. This includes completing a detailed analysis of tender documentation, storyboarding responses using input from the client, and writing responses to the highest possible standard every time.

Where do you work from for the majority of the working week?

I tend to work in our Darlington office for three days a week, and work from home for the other two.

How do you start your day?

Like many, the first thing I do is make a cup of coffee! If I’m working collaboratively on a bid with colleagues, we’ll often have a quick catch up meeting to discuss the day’s agenda, tasks to be completed, and how we can support each other.

What is on your agenda for today?

We’re coming to the end of a bid for one of our regular clients, so we’re currently reviewing each other’s written responses and finessing them where possible ready for submission.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job, and how do you navigate them?

Although we collectively have vast experience in many different sectors, some tenders contain questions that require very specialist knowledge, such as industry-specific method statements or technical drawings. It’s important in those situations to work closely with the client and ensure that their expertise is taking centre stage in the response, showing exactly why they’re the right people to win the tender.

What tools or processes/approaches do you rely on most in your day-to-day work?

Microsoft Teams is absolutely vital when working as part of a remote team.

How do you best collaborate with other team members?

Microsoft Teams allows us to instant message and call each other at any given time. When coordinating tenders, having a live bid tracker allows all writers to always have full visibility over which tasks are in progress, have been completed, or need to be reviewed internally or by the client.

How do you best collaborate with clients?

Regular online meetings and updates via email keep my clients informed as to the current status of the bid. This way, any additional information required can be requested quickly – highly important when meeting tight deadlines.

How do you balance work with home life?

I find it’s best to keep boundaries between the two. For example, not checking work emails out of hours, or on the weekend.

Can you share a recent success story or a project you’re particularly proud of?

I was recently involved with a winning tender for a Welsh construction company. They were bidding for a contract that will restore a historic local pub into an important community asset.

What do you find most rewarding about working in bidding?

We often work with SMEs. When they win a contract, it’s rewarding to know that you’re helping them build their business and gaining work that will help sustain them for years to come. You often get to know the business owners and their employees over time, and it’s good to see them doing well.

How do you balance the pressures of tight deadlines against the need for high-quality work?

I prioritise tasks, break down complex sections, and maintain clear communication with the client to manage time effectively. I also adhere to our review process, ensuring quality isn’t compromised.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in bidding?

I recommend it! I’ve found my time as a bid writer highly rewarding. To someone interested in starting a career as a bid writer, I’d say that they need to be organised, have an eye for detail, and not be afraid to ask questions. To make sure that a bid response truly shows what the client can do, sometimes you need to ask ‘why’ or ‘how’ more than once so you can fully communicate their way of working.

If you could skip back 10 years in your career, what advice would you give to yourself?

Get into bid writing sooner! While training as a newspaper journalist, I worked in an administration job and then as a copywriter for a few years. However, I didn’t feel I had a clear career path until I became a Bid Writer some time after graduating. It’s proven to be the perfect environment to use the various skills and experience I’ve gained over the years.

What is your favourite thing to do outside of work?

I’m a (relatively) keen runner and can be found at a local parkrun every Saturday morning. I’m also a member of a regular pub quiz team alongside my wife Katie and two of our friends. Both these activities come with varying degrees of success on any given week.

You can read more about David’s professional experience on our website here. If you’d like to know more about our services our team offers, please contact us, and we’ll be in touch. Alternatively, email us at enquiries@bwlgroup.co.uk.